Wild Mushroom Lasagna St. Pete Times
For bechamel sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
31/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
31/2 cups low-fat milk, heated
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For mushroom tomato sauce:
2 cups boiling-hot water
2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
8 ounces mixed fresh mushrooms (portobellos, shiitake, oyster, baby
bellas),
chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 (14- to 15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice
Pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
For assembling lasagna:
12 long ruffle-edged dried lasagna noodles
5 ounces (13/4 cups) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
To make bechamel: Heat butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over
moderately
low heat until melted, then add flour and cook roux over low heat,
whisking,
3 minutes. Add hot milk in a fast stream, whisking vigorously, and
whisk in
garlic and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer,
whisking
occasionally, 10 minutes. Add pepper.
To make mushroom tomato sauce: Pour boiling-hot water over porcini in a
bowl
and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Lift out porcini,
squeezing
excess liquid back into bowl, then rinse to remove any grit. Pour
soaking
liquid through a sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into another
bowl.
Chop porcini and add to soaking liquid.
Cook onion and fresh mushrooms in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over
moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and liquid has
evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice, sugar, porcini
with
soaking liquid and thyme. Simmer, stirring frequently, until tomatoes
have
broken down into a chunky sauce and most liquid has evaporated, about
25
minutes. Stir in salt.
To assemble and bake lasagna: Cook noodles in a 6- to 8-quart pot of
boiling
salted water 8 minutes (noodles will not be cooked through), then
drain. Put
oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Spread 1 cup bechamel on bottom of a greased 13- by 9-inch baking dish,
reserving remainder for last layer. Arrange three lasagna noodles over
bechamel in baking dish. Layer one third of mushroom filling and
cheese.
Repeat layering of pasta, mushroom tomato sauce, and cheese twice, then
cover with last noodles. Spread remaining bechamel on top, making sure
to
cover all noodles, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered,
until lasagna is bubbling and top is browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Let
stand at
room temperature at least 15 minutes before cutting.
* Bechamel and mushroom tomato sauces can be made two days ahead and
cooled,
uncovered, then chilled separately, covered. Bring sauces to room
temperature before using. Also, you can assemble lasagna 1 day ahead
and
chill, covered. Bring to room temperature before baking.
Makes 12 first-course or 10 main course servings.
Nutritional information per serving (10): 353 calories, 14g fat (7g
saturated), 17g protein, 40g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 716mg sodium.
